Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Surprise, Surprise... Ontario "pitbull" ban isn't working

The provincial government bit off more than it could chew by dooming pit bulls as Ontario's worst people-biters, the Toronto Humane Society says.
Results of a survey of municipalities, released Wednesday, show no significant drop in dog bite cases since the government passed Breed Specific Legislation in 2005 that resulted in "countless" pit bulls and related Staffordshire Terriers being destroyed.
In a statement, the THS called on the provincial government to amend its Breed Specific Legislation and " stop the punishment of innocent animals.
"This survey shows that the pit bull ban has not resulted in a reduction in the number of dog bites in Ontario," said the THS, which opposes breed-specific legislation.
A chart based on its statistics shows about a 10% drop in dog bite cases from 2004 to 2005, to just over 5,000. The survey showed a slight drop again in 2006, then the number of cases increased to about to about the 2005 level by last year.
In the THS release, spokesman Ian McConachie quoted then-Attorney General Michael Bryant telling MPPs in the Legislature "it's time that we make amendments to the Dog Owners' Liability Act that make our streets safer.”
The revised legislation outlawing pit bulls "failed to do so," he charged. McConachie said outlawing specific dog breeds "targets the wrong source of the problem.
"Dogs are not born violent," McConachie said. Instead, they are "made that way by irresponsible owners who train them to be that way or neglect them and they develop behavioural problems.
“If we want to reduce the number of dog bites we have to address the route cause of the problem, those irresponsible owners who do not appropriately care for their animals.” he said.
He said the survey shows the five-year-old anti-pit bull legislation "has not worked to decrease the incidents of dog bites.”

It is no big secret or breakthrough that all jurisdictions where breed bans are enacted, bites always rise. A good example of this is Winnipeg, which was touted as being "the model" the Ontario ban was shaped from.

In Winnipeg, the ban was put in place in 1990. That year there were 214 reported bites. Each year thereafter bites increased and by 1997 reported bites hit a whopping 328. That number is up by nearly one third of total bites! I guess the additional 114 Winnipeg'ers were happy they were so protected by the ban?

For the record, there is no such breed as a "pitbull" or "Staffordshire Terrier". Yes, there have been, in a conservative estimate, over 5000 mutts destroyed based on how they look, not behaviour here in Ontario since August 29th, 2005. The dogs that have been killed have been of unknown lineage. There have been no purebreds of the named three breeds seized or killed. There simply aren't enough of them.

There are only less than 30 American Stafforshire Terriers in Ontario. There were 30 but one recently moved away, I kid you not! He is enjoying life in a province that does not practice breed discrimination.

The records are kept by the CKC for numbers in the province, and with so few in the province, we all know each other, or at least of each other. When you see Humane Societies and such labeling dogs as American Staffordshire Terrier crosses, there simply, mathematically aren't enough of them in the province to be crossing around.

Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed (by CKC reg. numbers), Boxers are number 8 on the list.. sort of makes sense the most popular short haired mutts are likely breed mixtures of popular breeds?

So much easier just to kill dogs for how they look, to appear something is being done about public safety... Call them some slang term to justify killing good dogs not dealing with bad owners of any breed of dog.

Oh yes, and lest we forget the man who spear-headed or orchestrated the Ontario breed ban (Michael J. Bryant) has killed more people than dogs (of any breed or non breed) in the past 2 years!

13 comments:

Know why it isn't working? because it's not the pit bulls themselves. it's their owners. stop the problem at the source. fine the people training them to be like this, or abusing them till the point where they attack people. why penalize the problem and not the source?

Actually, if anyone could eliminate bites by banning a breed you would have to ban all breeds and non-breeds. There are dogs behaving badly in all breeds, and yes it is the owner that must be looked at not the dog and certainly not the breed or breed makeup. It is irrational to think that banning anything will work. It pacifies people into thinking they are somehow safer in a fear mongered, irrational climate such as now. McGuinty has played upon that and should be held accountable as the absolute worst premier this province has ever seen, and he should also be held accountable for negligence that has driven our province into the worst state it has ever been in. McGuinty Liberals turned law abiding citizens into second class citizens based on what type of dog they choose to own and forfeited our safety making it legal to witch hunt our dogs. They have made Ontario citizens the highest taxed in the country and given us the highest debt this province has ever seen! Not much wonder every move they make is a negligent one. Too bad they (as a government) must prey on the innocent to make it look as though they are actually doing something. Sick.

I feel that the ban on DOCKING/Cropping and Dew claw removal is closely related to the BSL. I think they have been putting pressure on the CVMA. And as a result they have come up with this ban

Well its now May and another province has pushed the ban through NS. It is soon to reach Quebec and Ontario. I'm so upset!! People just don't seem to understand what is really going on here.I think that the CVMA is feeling the pressure from the BSL and PETA. I also think that they having financial problems just like any other business around the world.

With this ban the animal activist will be some what happy. The financial problems will soon improve with all the new and more costly surgeries or injuries that will occur as a result of the Dock/Crop/Dew claw ban.

I also think that the CVMA is not speaking on behalf of all their members they are forcing it on their members. THIS IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

I also think that the CVMA is USING THE PUBLIC, by misleading them and forming a basis opinion.

Who really suffers in the end THE BREEDER AND THE BREED THEY CHOOSE TO BREED. People should realize the full effects should the ban go through. Since the ban in other countries there has been up to an 80% decrease in births of certain breed types. That's right this ban is causing the extinction of various breeds.DOES THIS NOT SOUND LIKE THE BSL AND PETA GETTING JUST WHAT THEY WANT> THESE ARE ThE SAME GROUPS THAT HAVE REMOVED THE PITT BULL from families and homes to be destroyed with no exceptions what so ever.Where did the BSL AND PETA GO? I don't think that they just gave up and went away. OH no I think they went to the vets and formed an agreement with the CVMA.IN hopes that if they can make the Breeds unacceptable to the people who want and employ them, they will eventually just disappear .This is just my opinion. I think the general public is being fooled into making this happen.When the time comes to purchase a Boxer, Terrier or a Poodle they will not be able to find one. Just like the Pit Bull, THEY WILL BE GONE FOREVER!!!!

What can you do to help stop the ban.Support your local vet that does these procedures, by letters to your Veterinarian, Provincial or Territorial Veterinary Association, Member of Parliament or Provincial Legislature. I know its hard to sit and write a letter, but here I am writing one to you. I know that all will not agree with my opinion but that's the chance I have to take. IF we continue to remain silent our Beloved Canine Friends will be gone forever.

I would love to post my full ideas on this subject but there is a word limit.

What's coming is a ban on even more dog breeds that have the greatest potential to do serious harm. Comparing bite stats is silly if you are trying to make the case that a "Westie" is just as likely to bite as a "pitbull". It's not the bite numbers, it's the quality of the bite.So, ask yourself why you want to have a dog breed with huge muscles to operate it's jaws, instead of a Lab, Shepherd or a Westie.

Like the way it looks?

Like the way other dog owners are intimidated?

Enjoy that feeling when people cross the street to avoid you?

Most people get this analogy right away:I can walk into a bar with a pocket knife and no one is concerned.I can walk into a bar with a flick knife and no one is concerned until I show it off.I am stopped at the door when I try to walk into the bar with a skinning knife strapped to my arm.

Why?It's all about the potential to do harm.

Now an imaginary scenario:

I've been breeding 350 lb cougars who I claim have totally lost their natural wild aggressiveness and are completely tame. You should think of them as just like an overgrown house cat. They really don't bite any more often than house cat's either.

Oh ya, I really want to be there when a visitor steps on it's tail by mistake!

Hey Stop Making Excuses.. If you take the time to pop your head out of the sand, or rather your body part south of your belly button... Keep reading this blog and other information that is actually factual and correct rather than the obvious propaganda, myth and BS you believe to be the truth! You just might learn some common sense..

Maybe you should try and explain your statement or beliefs to the family of the child killed in Quebec last week by a "husky" type dog. Or the other 19 people's families who have lost a loved one to a DBRF in Canada in the last 20 years. None of which belong to the Ontario breed ban list!

Not proposing another "mutt" type dog should be added to any twisted list, but possibly it is time to look at the OWNERS? What a novel idea???

Does anyone have any statistical information on serious harm done by pibulls versus other breeds? Personally, I prefer irresponsible owners of yorkies and toy poodles than those of pitbulls. I fully agree with the ban and I think that other dangerous breeds should be banned as well. Please, this is ridiculous. Even if you have a dog that you trained well, there is always a chance that the dog may lash out at another animal or human. As a dog owner, I prefer to have a dog that will do less damage.

Hi B,No definitions here.. that is the zillion dollar question. The gov are quoted as saying "if you own a "pitbull" you know it"?? That doesn't seem to apply. If you don't have a purebred dog with registration papers then you have a "?". That is why they included reverse onus so the onus is on the owner of the said dog to prove it isn't a "pitbull" which is impossible.Nice way to throw people under the bus, isn't it?

Not sure where you get your misguided information (that bites are down) from Anon? The bite stats from Public Health show clearly bites have remained constant. Global News a couple weeks ago got their numbers from TAS who keep stats by breed but they guess at best. The stats had some breeds listed as having biting incidents more than are existing dogs in the province! TAS do not get notification of all bites, only the ones they are called to which include animal to animal bites. Public Health receive reports of all bites that require medical attention but only dog/human but as I said do not keep stats by breed. I will post a well researched article and information here on Brindle Stick in the next few days. For now here is the link.. http://caveat.typepad.com/blog/2011/11/global-tv-spreads-mythology-toronto-star-gets-it-right.html

Tho I disagree with the law and as I am an animal lover. I hate to see any animal destroyed. There is a big but here tho, the law is the law and in some ways it is beneficial to point out these owners who continue to break it. Active criminals should not be entitled to own dogs as they make it very clear they have not respect for the rights of the animals or the law. Breaking the law is endangering these animals and these "I have a tough dog so I'm tough" people are the reason specific breeds are singled out and destroyed. I would say they should be ashamed of themselves but it is quite apparent being socially conscious is not on Joe drug dealers list of to do's. Quite simply I believe a database needs to be established in which active criminals and perhaps a 5 year post conviction ban of ownership is place on those whom cannot partake in something as simple as not breaking the law. If the type of owner is changed the breed perception will change. I have owned a Staffordshireterrier and they are great companions and I did not have a single issue. Tho now that I think about I didn't sell crack. Call the Skid list "The Skid Animal Protection List". You know your a piece of skid garbage when a Pit bull needs protection from you.